NYCGuide
Where To Get Happy Hour Margaritas
When you want a green drink that tastes like tequila, use this guide.
You can probably think of about 10 good reasons to head to a margarita Happy Hour. The first nine are work-related, and the tenth has to do with your dubious claim that tequila is the only liquor that doesn't give you a hangover. (If you have five margaritas and one beer, we're pretty sure it's not the beer giving you that hangover.) Keep reading below for margarita deals all across the city.
THE SPOTS
When: Monday-Friday, 4-7pm (Bar Only)
The Deal: $8 Margaritas (Four Varieties)
The hot pink hut in front of Ruta Oaxaca in Astoria makes this place easy to find, and we love their enchiladas covered in mole and queso topped with chorizo. If you come here for brunch on the weekend, they have 2-for-1 drink specials from 12-4pm.
When: Monday, All Day
The Deal: $8.50 Fresh Fruit Frozen and Rocks Margaritas
In case you couldn't tell by the name, this place serves different kinds of tortas like one with panko-crusted eggplant and another with grilled skirt steak. Tortaria is located just south of Union Square, and you can also get taquitos and churros with hot chocolate dipping sauce.
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When: Tuesday-Friday, 4-7pm
The Deal: $11 Margaritas with Orange Bitters and Smoked Chili Salt
This Alphabet City bar has live music every Tuesday and Wednesday starting at 9:30pm, and there's food like fried oysters and a chicken liver and bacon sandwich. Happy Hour starts at 4pm, and you can make a reservation if you want to guarantee yourself a seat.
When: Monday, All Night; Tuesday-Sunday, 4-6pm (Bar Only)
The Deal: $10 Classic Margaritas; $11 Mango or Strawberry Margaritas
When the weather's nice, have some drinks, guacamole, and a build-your-own carnitas taco plate in the backyard at this Mexican spot in Park Slope. Fonda also has locations in Chelsea and Tribeca.
When: Monday-Friday, 4-7pm; Weekends, 5-7pm (Bar and Lounge Only)
The Deal: $9 Margaritas
This Mexican restaurant on the Upper East Side offers shrimp and tuna ceviches as well as lobster and adobo grilled chicken tacos. If you get tired of margaritas, there are tequila flights that cost between $20 and $55.
When: Monday-Friday, 5-7pm
The Deal: $10 Draft Margaritas
This Carroll Gardens cocktail bar from the team behind Clover Club (just across the street) has a selection of mostly rum and mezcal drinks, as well as a good number of zero-proof cocktails. The pan-Latin menu includes black bean and queso pupusas and a tostada topped with octopus.
When: Daily, 4-7pm
The Deal: $8 Traditional Margaritas; $9 Smoky Jalapeño Margaritas
Guacamole, quesadillas, queso fundido, and more are all $10 during Happy Hour at this West Village spot. If you want to sample a bunch of different tequilas and mezcals, Ofrenda is the perfect place to do it, because they have a huge selection of both.
When: Monday-Thursday, 4-7pm
The Deal: $9 Draft Margaritas
This Mexican spot in Crown Heights is a fun place to bring a group of friends to share shrimp and crab empanadas, chicken with mole, and tacos. They have a weekday brunch that runs until 4pm, so take a day off and plan a brunch/Happy Hour doubleheader.
Luna’s Kitchen & Bar
When: Monday-Friday, 3-7pm
The Deal: $6 Margaritas
Expect some starters like nachos and guacamole at this Jackson Heights Mexican-American restaurant, in addition to some dishes like pasta primavera, penne alla vodka, and a burger. Happy Hour starts during lunch.
When: Sunday-Thursday, 2-7pm; Friday, 2-6pm
The Deal: $11-$15 Frozen Margaritas
This not-so-fancy bar in Nolita is perfect for when you need a lot of space to drink with a group. You can get frozen margaritas in flavors like peach, mango, and guava, and there's a back patio where you can hang out.
When: Monday-Wednesday, 3-6pm; Thursday-Sunday, 4-6pm
The Deal: $11 Watermelon-Jalapeño Margaritas
La Contenta is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in NYC, and we especially like their lightly-battered fish tacos and hanger steak with a twice-baked potato. This Lower East Side spot is tiny, so get here early if you want to snag a table. (There's also some seating on a sidewalk patio.)
Hidden Lane Bar
When: Monday-Friday, 5-8pm
The Deal: $8 House and Spicy Margaritas
The garden at this two-floor bar that's just steps away from Gramercy Park looks like a deck at your friend's summer house. Happy Hour goes until 8pm, and you should know they don't serve any food.
When: Monday-Thursday, 4-8pm
The Deal: 2-for-1 Margaritas
Nowadays feels more like a park with non-existent open-container laws than a bar. The massive outdoor space at this Ridgewood spot has picnic tables, fire pits, grassy areas, ping-pong tables, and booths with drinks and food. This is a casual place to day drink with a group (or your dogs), and they often host fun shows and parties.
Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina
When: Monday-Friday, 2:30-6:30pm
The Deal: $8 Frozen Margaritas; $9 Rocks Margaritas (Bar Only)
This FiDi restaurant off Stone Street serves a lot of snacks you'd want with margaritas such as a salsa sampler with chips, nachos, and hot wings. They also have something called the margarita tower, which is 100 ounces and comes in flavors like blackberry and cactus pear. Mad Dog & Beans also has a Midtown location.
Haven at the Sanctuary Hotel
When: Monday-Friday, 4:30-5:30pm
The Deal: $10 Margaritas
Haven at the Sanctuary Hotel near Times Square has plenty of seats and TVs, as well as a DJ. If you want to eat some food, the menu has stuff like salads, pizzas, filet mignon, and penne alla vodka.
La Palapa
When: Tuesday, All Day and Night
The Deal: $5 Frozen Margaritas
La Palapa has been a fixture on Saint Marks for more than two decades, and this place is great for some after-work drinks or a casual dinner. They also have locations in two food halls (Gotham West Market and Urbanspace Vanderbilt).
When: Daily Until 7pm
The Deal: $12 Margaritas
If you want to listen to some live music while eating hummus, spicy lamb merguez, and roasted chicken, check out Bar Lunatico in Bed-Stuy. You can find their calendar of upcoming performances here.
The Heights Bar & Grill
When: Daily, 4-7pm; Wednesday-Saturday, 11pm-2am
The Deal: $7 Frozen Margaritas
You'll see a lot of Columbia University students at this Morningside Heights bar with a retractable roof. The food is mostly Mexican, but you can also get things like chicken tenders and fish and chips.
When: Monday-Thursday, 5-6:30pm
The Deal: $1 Off Margaritas
More than 10 types of tacos (smoked brisket, duck, and shrimp, etc.) are sold out of a truck in the backyard of this Bed-Stuy bar. They also sell taco kits for takeout that cost about $50.
Fulton Hall
When: Monday-Friday, 4-7pm
The Deal: $8 Margaritas
This massive Fort Greene bar has a pool table, surf boards leaning against the walls, and some TVs in case you want to watch a game. The food is about what you'd expect at a place that serves a lot of beer. (Think tots, popcorn chicken, and burgers.)
